FARMINGTON, Utah (Sept. 9, 2026) – Big Sky Soccer teams enter week five of the season with a full slate of non-conference games on deck.
Below are news & notes from around the league for Big Sky Soccer.
Northern Arizona's Micala Boex Named Offensive Player of the Week
Northern Arizona's Micala Boex was named Offensive Player of the Week after a 4-point weekend powering the Lumberjack offense. Boex scored a pair of goals ultimately leading to a Northern Arizona victory over Nevada. The 2025 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year was very efficient with her production as all six of her shots were on goal through the team's two matches.
Northern Arizona is back on the pitch on Thursday as they travel to in-state foe Arizona.
Others Nominated: Saydree Cooke (ISU), Yammile Picon (PSU), Gracen Blieschke (SUU), Lataya Brost (UTU), KJ Skinner (WSU)
Northern Arizona's Lexi Saveski Named Defensive Player of the Week
Northern Arizona's Lexi Saveski was given the weekly honor after recording a save percentage of .833 over the Lumberjack's two contests. The junior led Northern Arizona to a 3-0 shutout victory over Nevada. Saveski surrendered just one goal after facing 22 shots on the week.
Others Nominated: Aliya Garrett (ISU), Elle Rafajko (UTU), Lauren Butorac (WSU)
Eastern Washington Soccer & Volleyball Earn Combined Team of the Month Recognition
After both programs went undefeated in August, the Eastern Washington University soccer and volleyball programs have earned a combined Big Sky Conference Commissioner’s Team of the Month title.
EWU is the only school in the Big Sky to have completed the month of August with a perfect record in both sports.
On the pitch, the Eagles went 5-0, outscoring their opponents 9-1 in those contests. Three of their five victories came at home.
On the court, the Eagles started the season 3-0 with a trio of victories at the Seattle U Tournament.
Weber State Picked as Preseason Favorites by League Coaches
Weber State was named preseason favorites by the league's head coaches after a runner-up finish a season ago. The Wildcats look to make a run behind their league-leading four preseason All-Conference team selections Isabella Sackett, Lily Blum, Oakley Anderson and reigning Freshman of the Year, Lauren Butorac.
Weber State earned the top spot in the poll after collecting five first-place votes and a league-leading 74 points, edging out Idaho, who compiled four first-place votes. In their first season in the Big Sky, Utah Tech received the final first-place vote in the poll, rounding out the top three.
NAU's Micala Boex Tabbed as Preseason MVP by League Coaches
Northern Arizona's Micala Boex headlines the Preseason All-Conference Team, earning Preseason MVP honors. Last season, Boex ranked top-five in the league in several offensive categories including goals, assists, points and shots. The Co-Offensive MVP from a season ago recorded eight multi-point games through the 2025 campaign.
Southern Utah and Utah Tech Join the Big Sky in 2026
Southern Utah and Utah Tech were officially welcomed as members of the Big Sky Conference this past summer, as the addition of the Thunderbirds and Trailblazers give the Big Sky 10 soccer squads for the 2026 season. The 2026 season will mark SUU’s return to the Big Sky after being a soccer member from 2012-21, while the year will be UTU’s inaugural season in the league.
2026 Big Sky Soccer Tournament Hosted in Missoula
The 2026 Big Sky Soccer Championship, hosted by University of Montana, will be held in Missoula, Montana on Nov. 11, 13 and 15. The Grizzlies earned the right to host the 2026 championship tournament by winning last fall's regular-season title.
The Grizzlies also won the tournament title in 2025, becoming the first Big Sky team to sweep the regular season and tournament titles since Northern Arizona in 2022.
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2026 Big Sky Soccer Schedule (Week 5)
Thursday, Sept. 10
Portland State at Portland // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
UC Santa Barbara at Idaho State // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
South Dakota State at Weber State // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Air Force at Northern Colorado // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
CSUN at Utah Tech // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Arizona at Arizona // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Grand Canyon at Idaho // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Friday, Sept. 11
Wyoming at Montana // 5:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Sunday, Sept. 13
Grambling State at Northern Arizona // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Grand Canyon at Eastern Washington // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
CSUN at Southern Utah // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
UC Santa Barbara at Weber State // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Boise State at Portland State // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)